History Recap / Peacemaker2022Episode8ItsCowOrNever

* NiceJobFixingItHero: Adebayo for activating Peacemaker's anti-gravity helmet before they could use it to drop the Sonic Boom helmet on the Cow. While sent to rectify this matter, Eagly actually only makes things worse by having misinterpreted Peacemaker's instructions dropping it in the ''OTHER END'' of the forest instead of on top of the barn penning the Cow. Economos pulls off a moderately impressive stunt of planting a bomb inside the barn sneaking through the Butterflies in disguise but upon gazing the beast for himself he panics and only leaves the Sonic Boom helmet on some stairs several hundred feet away from the Cow, only for Butterfly Steve to notice and pull the helmet even further. The resulting Sonic Boom detonations do no damage at all to the Cow, forcing Peacemaker and his friends to just run in and go in a full-out war with the Butterflies to get the job done.

-->'''Economos:''' Uh-uh. Fuck it. [[CallBack No more]] [[Film/TheSuicideSquad kaijus]]!

** While having long established to be a capable ActionGirl at this point, Harcourt is shown not to be MadeOfIron after getting shot multiple times, barely surviving by the end of the episode. Even then, she is shown to undergo rehabilitation, a sharp contrast to Peacemaker's ridiculously fast recovery from his near fatal injuries (only needing to replace his clavicle despite injuries that could easily kill someone like Harcourt) in Film/TheSuicideSquad.

* VillainHasAPoint: Per WordOfGod, Gunn acknowledges that Peacemaker's decision to kill the cow was less a debate of good vs evil rather a showcase of his own evolving morality. [[KnightTemplar The Peacemaker of old]] would have betrayed his allies and sided with the Butterflies wholeheartedly. Ultimately, while he agrees with their reasonings and end goals, he just can't bring himself to compartmentalize his guilt anymore. Notably, Adebayo also concedes that the Butterfly leader might not have been wrong later on.

* FakeShemp: When the Justice League makes their cameo at the end, Superman and Wonder Woman are both played by stand-ins, with their faces hidden in the shadows.

* ImaginaryEnemy: Peacemaker gets one in form of the "ghost" of his father. While Chris is fully aware that the real Auggie is most sincerely dead, and that the figment of him he sees is more a "metaphorical" expression of his own internalized guilt, it doesn't stop said figment from being emotionally tormenting him with his presence.

* TheMaidenNameDebate: Leota reveals she's using the last name of her wife Keeya so people don't know she's related to Amanda Waller.

"Fitzgibbon" stops John to question him, but is convinced to let him through. Harcourt tells him to go down and leave the helmet at the deepest spot where he sees the "cow" and leaves. "Fitzgibbon" once again stops John to question him about his dyed beard, and Economos is forced to explain that he does it to be more attractive to ladies and trying to settle his private life.

"Cool Steve" finds the bag and takes the helmet out. Adebayo drops the radio that would activate it, and John is forced to flee, but is quickly overwhelmed until the helmet releases a sonic wave, destroying the barn and giving John a window to escape. Two more blasts cause a cave-in, and the team decides to go in.

Peacemaker falls into the cave and gets buried under the rubble, but he gets saved by "Goff", and the two fight briefly. Adebayo activates the Human Torpedo helmet to save him, but misses and gets knocked out. "Goff" brings Peacemaker to the cow and tties to him to help him teleport the "cow" away, trying to explain their plan.

The Butterflies have come from a dying planet that is no longer suited for living and have picked Earth as their new home, but after noticing that humans are destroying their own planet with their reckless actions, they have made a vow to make the decisions for them and save the planet by infiltrating the society. Peacemaker experiences a brief crisis of faith after taking in all the details and considers "Goff"'s offer, but ultimately decides against it telling Goff; "activate Human Torpdeo", sending Adebayo into the cow and killing "Goff"'s body. The Butterfly emerges from the corpse, and Peacemaker helps Adebayo get out.

Several days later Adebayo gives a press conference, saying that the diary is a fake and revealing the truth about Task Force X, much to Waller's displeasure. Vigilante escapes from the hospital, while Harcourt is still recovering with Peacemaker watching over her, & the two share a moment holding hands after she comes to & reveals that Chris had stayed at the hospital the whole time. Harcourt is shown engaged in physical therapy, smiling as she takes steps on a treadmill. Leota returns back to Keeya, while John goes back to Belle Reve, assuming his usual duties as the warden, but with momentos from his time in the 11th street kids decorating his desk. Judomaster finds the corpses of Butterflies and breaks down, still munching on the ever-present bag of cheetos.

Peacemaker is woken up by "Goff" knocking on his window and decides to give her the last of the amber liquid, setting on the porch with her and Eagly, while Auggie's hallucination haunts him.

* TheMaidenNameDebate: Leota reveals she's using the last name of her wife Keeyah so people don't know she's related to Amanda Waller.

* StressVomit: John vomits right after he barely avoids being discovered by Butterfly!Fitzgibbon.

** While Peacemaker, Vigilante, and Harcourt are able to hold their own against an army of Butterflies, after Peacemaker leaves to kill the Cow they begin running low on ammo and the Butterflies that are wielding guns are able to take down Vigilante and Harcourt.

The team heads to the ranch where the "cow" is being kept, and Peacemaker remains angry at Adebayo for planting the diary in his trailer, not forgiving hger even after she made the choice to stay with them. Leota calls Waller and asks her to bring in the Justice League, explaining the gravity of the situation. The Butterflies are preparing to teleport the "cow" away from the ranch.

The Butterflies have come from a dying planet that is no longer suited for living and have picked Earth as their new home, but after noticing that humans are destroying their own planet with their reckless actions, they have made a vow to make the decisions for them and save the planet by infiltrating the society. Peacemaker experiences a brief crisis of faith after taking in all the details and considers "Goff"'s offer, but ultimately decides against it, sending Adebayo into the cow and killing "Goff"'s body. The Butterfly emerges from the corpse, and Peacemaker helps Adebayo get out.

After the team gathers togather, with Harcourt in critical condition, Peacemaker leads them away, just when the Justice League (Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Flash) arrives. Chris insults them for being late and gives a particular taunt to Aquaman for "fucking fish". Harcourt and Vigilante are brought into the hospital, while Peacemaker and Adebayo discuss "Goff"'s words, thinking that his choice gave them "peace" from the alien invasion. Chris finally forgives Leota for her actions and tells her she's his BFF... after Eagly, of course.

Several days later Adebayo gives a press conference, saying that the diary is a fake and revealing the truth about Task Force X, much to Waller's displeasure. Vigilante escapes from the hospital, while Harcourt is still recovering with Peacemaker watching over her. Leota returns back to Keeya, while John goes back to Belle Reve, assuming his usual duties as the warden. Judomaster finds the corpses of Butterflies and breaks down.

[TBA]

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The Butterfly leader's speech is more or less a TakeThat aimed at the former President and his followers. While he's not named specifically, the "populist leader" bit does narrow it down enough.

* TheCameo: The Justice League (Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and The Flash) appear after Peacemaker and his team took down the Butterflies, and Amanda Waller appears when Adebayo reveals the whole truth about Task Force X and Project Butterfly on TV and we see her reaction. Creator/JasonMomoa and Creator/EzraMiller play their respective characters, while Superman and Wonder Woman's faces are kept out of frame. [[{{Franchise/Batman}} Bat]][[Creator/BenAffleck man]] & [[Creator/RayFisher Cyborg]] are nowhere to be seen, though it was later revealed two FakeShemps were filmed, but removed.

* TheCameo: The Justice League (Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and The Flash) appear after Peacemaker and his team took down the Butterflies, and Amanda Waller appears when Adebayo reveals the whole truth about Task Force X and Project Butterfly on TV and we see her reaction. Creator/JasonMomoa and Creator/EzraMiller play their respective characters, while Superman and Wonder Woman's faces are kept out of frame. [[{{Franchise/Batman}} Bat]][[Creator/BenAffleck man]] & [[Creator/RayFisher Cyborg]] are nowhere to be seen.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The Butterfly leader's speech is more or less a TakeThat aimed at the President and his followers. While he's not named specifically, the "populist leader" bit does narrow it down enough.

* VillainHasAPoint: Per WordOfGod, Gunn acknowledges that Peacemaker's decision to kill the cow was less a debate of good vs evil rather a showcase of his own evolving morality. [[KnightTemplar The Peacemaker of old]] would have betrayed his allies and sided with the Butterflies wholeheartedly. Ultimately, while he agrees with their reasonings and end goals, he just can't bring himself to compartmentalize his guilt anymore.

** While having long established to be a capable ActionGirl at this point, Harcourt is shown not to be MadeOfIron after getting shot multiple times, barely surviving by the end of the episode. Even then, she is shown to undergo rehabilitation, a sharp contrast to Peacemaker's ridiculously fast recovery from his near fatal injuries (only needing to replace his clavicle despite injuries that could easily kill someone like Harcourt) in TheSuicideSquad.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: While Peacemaker, Vigilante, and Harcourt are able to hold their own against an army of Butterflies, after Peacemaker leaves to kill the Cow they begin running low on ammo and the Butterflies that are wielding guns are able to take down Vigilante and Harcourt.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The Butterfly leader's speech is more or less a TakeThat aimed at UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump and his followers. While he's not named specifically, the "populist leader" bit does narrow it down enough.

* BittersweetEnding: Peacemaker and his team succeed, but it's by the skin of their teeth and Harcourt sustains lasting injuries requiring lengthy rehabilitation. In addition, Peacemaker himself—though cleared of his alleged crimes—is still haunted by his dead father, and while Economos returns to a rather miserable-looking job at Belle Reve, he still has memories of the friends he'd made on the mission, and Adebayo reunites with Keeya. "Goff" has survived as well, and is once again living with Peacemaker in his trailer.

* TheCameo: The Justice League (Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Flash) appear after Peacemaker and his team took down the Butterflies, and Amanda Waller appears when Adebayo reveals the whole truth about Task Force X and Project Butterfly on TV and we see her reaction. Creator/JasonMomoa and Creator/EzraMiller play their respective characters, while Superman and Wonder Woman's faces are kept out of frame. [[{{Franchise/Batman}} Bat]][[Creator/BenAffleck man]] & [[Creator/RayFisher Cyborg]] are nowhere to be seen.